Dear Art and Harry and those of Conch L that know me:

As Harry reported,things are not going well health wise with both my
husband and myself, but who likes to read about that kind of
stuff.   Consequently I have not been writing.  But with great pleasure I
do read everything that the rest of you write, please don't stop.   I am
especially sorry about all the letters that have been sent to me that I
have not answered.  Forgive me.

I have been forced to accept the fact that I will not be going on any more
shelling trips and that has been a very bitter pill to swallow.  My
memories of  my trips and especially the people I have met and traveled
with are among my greatest treasures.   The stories I could tell, although
some of them with have to be edited.  I think my favorite was the time that
Tucker Abbott was in the Philippines with a  group and found a special
shell.  When he looked around for someone to show it to, no one was in
sight.  So, according to Abbott, he raised the shell high in the air and
shouted,  "Look, God, look what I just found."

I could make a long list of the people I have come to know through my
shelling, but will not print it as I might inadvertently leave someone
out.  But I do want to make a couple of comments.  The loss of Ruth Anne
Sparlin was heart-breaking and my thoughts have been with Derry.   I will
always remember one dinner the three of us had in the Solomons.  Don't know
when I have laughed so much.  My biggest disappointment is that I never got
to New Zealand and have a talk with Dr. Alan Beu.   And my second biggest
is that I lost my one and only big wentletrap - almost  three inches, you
know - one of those that was a fake made by the Japanese.  It was one of my
most favorite shell.   If one of you dealers has
one for sale I would be delighted, provided you are not asking the price
that the Japanese did when they first made them.

Never intended writing so much,  but once I got started and it was hard to
stop.  My love and best wishes to all of you.

Betty Jean Piech, The Tall One